Southeast scores 22 runs in rout of Oswego Friday

SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN
Southeast senior pitcher Zach Dainty throws during the early innings of the Lancers’ game against Oswego. Dainty struck out 11 batters to help lead Southeast to a 22-6 win at Cherokee Friday night.

By DOUG MAGILL
Special to The Morning Sun
Posted Apr 04, 2009 @ 12:53 AM

CHEROKEE — The scoreboard at the Southeast high school baseball field was well broken-in for its debut on Friday night.
The Lancers were glad to see the fully operating board — which was installed over the school’s spring break — with its bright red lights in right field. However, what they liked even more, were the numbers that were posted on it: Southeast 22, Oswego 6.
“It looks great,” said Southeast pitcher Zach Dainty. “It’s pretty nice, when you turn it on you can actually see that it works. We’ve been without a scoreboard forever. Every time you come out to turn (the old one) on, the thing would never work.”
Dainty struck out 11 Oswego batters and picked up the win as Oswego struggled from the mound and walked 13 Southeast batters. The Lancers plated 15 runs in the seventh after scoring five in the fourth as Oswego opened its season at 1-0 with the win.
“We weren’t going to sit back there and bury somebody,” said head coach Vic Colvin. “But if the situation arises, it’s hard to pull the kids back after you’ve been working on fundamentals for so long.”
The Lancers were also ready to play on some grass. The Lancers had spent most of their time practicing in the gym due to inclement weather.
“We’ve been in that gym for a week-and-a-half straight,” Dainty said. “Just running sprints and not being able to get on the field. Everybody wants to get out and play instead of just sitting in the gym.”
Friday’s game was a make-up of a postponement from Thursday night’s game which was originally slated to be played in Oswego. It was moved to Southeast because of wet field conditions.
“We’ve had two rain-outs and we’ve been in the gym probably the better part of five weeks,” Colvin said. “So definitely, they’ve been wanting to get outside. It’s good to have them out.”
The game was tight early. The Lancers had taken a 1-0 lead in the first and Oswego had responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. However, they missed an opportunity when they left the bases loaded in the second. However the Lancers came up with right stops at the right time.
“It helped me relax a lot [knowing that the fielder’s were making plays],” Dainty said. “When you’re just throwing and you’ve got a team behind you, it helps a lot. You don’t have to worry about anything.”
The game was tied 2-2, but after the five-run fourth inning by the Lancers, six consecutive Oswego batters struck out in a three-inning span.
Southeast travels to Galena on Monday.

Prep baseball
at Cherokee
Friday, April 3
Southeast 22, Oswego 6
Southeast 101 500 (15) — 22
Oswego 020 000 4 — 6
Zach Dainty and Toby Ulery (7) and Dalton Powell. Matthew Dickinson, Damon Trotnic (4), Kyle Shields (7) and Lane Martin (7) and Kyle Shields and Logan Spore (7). WP — Dainty (1-0). LP — Dickinson (0-1). LOB — SE 7, Oswego 6. 2B — Shields.